Training Deaf translation consultants in the land of the Bible

Adam Van Goor, Associate Director, Centre for Deaf Scriptures. Photo: Whole Word Institute

An interview with Adam Van Goor, Associate Director, Centre for Deaf Scriptures, Whole Word Institute.

In the still relatively new field of sign language Bible translation, Adam and Nikole Van Goor noticed a gap. Ideally translators rely on direct knowledge of the Bible’s original languages. But no programme existed for Deaf translators to learn biblical Hebrew, the language of the Old Testament.

Deaf people also operate in a visual context. The Van Goors had lived in Israel and learnt Hebrew before they were led to serve in sign language Bible translation. They wondered: what if Deaf translators could not only learn biblical Hebrew, but learn it while experiencing the places where the stories happened? They set a goal of setting up a centre for training Deaf Bible translators.

According to Deaf Bible Society, there are 70 million sign language users and more than 350 sign languages in the world. About 15 percent of sign languages have access to portions of Scripture. Only American Sign Language has a full video Bible, and that was only published in 2020.

Much has been learnt in recent years about best practices in sign language translation, training of Deaf translators and consultants, and production and publication of Scripture. But there is still much more to be learnt. The Van Goors and others at Whole Word Institute have pioneered an innovative training opportunity in Israel.

Oleksandr Raikovskyi (second from left) and Adam Van Goor (second from right), Associate Directors of the Centre for Deaf Scriptures, sign with two interpreters during an Israel site visit. Photo: Whole Word Institute

Launching a Deaf training programme in the land of the Bible

Adam and his wife Nikole, a sign language interpreter, served with Jerusalem Centre for Bible Translators (JCBT) in Israel in 2016. While there, they helped with logistics when JCBT hosted visiting groups of Deaf translators on short-term study tours in Jerusalem from DOOR, Deaf Missions, Deaf Bible Society and FOBAI.

In 2017, Adam approached David Swarr and Randall Buth of Whole Word Institute to propose training in Hebrew for Deaf translators in the land of the Bible. Whole Word Institute already had a masters programme in Classical Hebrew and Translation Consulting for hearing translators, and agreed to extend the programme to Deaf students. It started in 2020 with three students.

The programme consists of a six-month series of online preparation courses in biblical Hebrew, modern Hebrew and Israeli Sign Language (ISL), followed by a nine-month onsite Hebrew language intensive, three months of courses in translation consulting and an added sign language specialisation component. The online courses are taught by Deaf instructors and the onsite courses by hearing professors with ISL interpretation. Mentors (usually Deaf former students, or hearing staff that know how to sign) help create a supportive learning environment for Deaf students learning through interpretation.

Visits to biblical sites round out the curriculum, with tours guided in Hebrew and interpreted into ISL.

‘Field trips are a huge part of the programme’, Adam, who serves as one of two associate directors of the Centre for Deaf Scriptures at Whole Word Institute, says. ‘Deaf people often tend to be very concrete thinkers and they want to visualize everything. Being in the land is very important. It brings it alive for all of us, but particularly so for them.’

Deaf students discuss Hebrew Scriptures. Photo: Whole Word Institute

Developing best practices for teaching Hebrew to Deaf people

For Deaf people learning a spoken language, immersion poses unique challenges. The Van Goors explored with others what would be the best way for Deaf people to learn biblical languages

‘There was the idea presented that using a foreign sign language would be helpful in learning a foreign written language’, Adam says.

In the programme, ISL serves as a bridge for learning Hebrew.

‘Many Deaf people can pick up a new sign language really quickly’, Adam says, ‘so we try to utilize that enhanced skill they have and package written Hebrew on the back of that. So they’re learning Israeli Sign Language, but they’re also learning Hebrew through it as well.’

ISL also serves as a common language for Deaf students and staff, and helps develop their identity as language learners as they immerse themselves within Jewish culture, which in turn helps them better understand the Bible.

Of the six standard levels of Hebrew training in Israel, Deaf students who complete the MA intensive must reach Level 3. Two students from the first Deaf cohort have both finished the 4th level. By comparison, Adam says he had to reach Level 3 as a hearing person in order to begin his university studies in Hebrew at University of Jerusalem.

‘It’s the only programme that I’m aware of where Deaf Bible translators can learn Hebrew to this level,’ Adam says.

Deaf MA students (and consultants-in-training) Andreas Kolb (Switzerland) and Robin Di Nardo (Italy) sign with Oleksandr Raikovskyi (right), Associate Director, Centre for Deaf Scriptures. Photo: Whole Word Institute

First graduates of the sign language track MA programme

The first Deaf students to complete the requirements for the MA in Classical Hebrew and Translation Consulting with the sign language specialisation are Vitalii Zvarich, from Ukraine, who serves as an exegete and trainer with Deaf Bible Society and Oleksandr Raikovskyi, who is originally from Ukraine, but lives in Israel and serves with Whole Word Institute. Both are completing their internships as consultants-in-training while also finishing a Hebrew Scriptures reading requirement aimed at advancing their skills in reading the Hebrew texts, and familiarity with the Scriptures they will consult on.

Vitalii is doing his internship with a Deaf translation team in Thailand. Oleksandr is also doing his internship in Thailand, and still consults with a Deaf translation project in Bulgaria as well.

‘It’s been helpful for the team in Thailand,’ Adam says, ‘because [the trainee consultants] have been to these places. They can relate from their personal experience: “this is how it looks, or would have looked”, and so the Thai team found that very beneficial.’

The third student, Valerii Zhadan, from Russia, has nearly completed the MA. However, like many in Bible translation movements who serve in multiple roles, he is busy juggling his studies with his responsibilities serving as a consultant-in-training with DOOR, as a pastor and a consultant with a Deaf translation team in Siberia.

Oleksandr Raikovskyi, Associate Director of the Centre for Deaf Scriptures at Whole Word Institute. Photo: Whole Word Institute

Developing leadership

Adam says the goal has always been to find Deaf people to lead the programme.

‘God put us in a position to help set up some of this stuff’, Adam says. ‘But it was really funny: I was going to Israel, I could barely sign, I’m not Jewish—and I wanted to go to Israel to set up programmes for Deaf people! But part of the goal was always to work towards setting up the programme, but also to find the right Deaf leader to take over the leadership.’

Adam and Nikole had to move back to the US in 2020 just as the Deaf programme was getting started. Throughout his MA studies, Oleksandr helped to lead the programme and recruit qualified students. He serves as Associate Director of the Centre for Deaf Scriptures at Whole Word Institute onsite in Jerusalem.

Today, Valerii and local Deaf Israeli professors teach the online basic Hebrew and modern Hebrew courses. Oleksandr, his wife Alona (an interpreter and assistant Hebrew instructor) and hearing professors teach the School of Biblical Hebrew intensive in Israel which is at one point integrated with hearing students with interpreting into ISL and Deaf mentors, as is the consultant skills course.

Vitalii stayed on to learn more Hebrew, and mentor incoming students. He could potentially serve as a future Hebrew instructor for the programme.

Since that first group, 10 additional students have come from seven additional countries. The  current group began intensive Hebrew study in late 2024. The next group will begin in 2026.

Impact on hearing staff and students

‘It’s been amazing to see the impact of the Deaf programme on the hearing students,’ Adam says. ‘Many of the hearing staff have been learning how to sign. Part of [the value of] this programme is the impact for the Deaf world, but another huge part of the programme is the impact on the hearing world. So many people come from all over the world and have different perspectives of Deaf people. And all of a sudden they see very capable Deaf people in front of them who are their classmates and peers and it changes something for them. It changes how they think about it.’

A Tongan student met Deaf people for the first time, learnt some ISL, and realised there is not much being done for the Deaf in Tonga, so she wants to go back and help set up schools. 

Deaf students in the programme discuss what they are learning: (left to right) Aimable Mpore, Brown Niyonsaba, Chantal Gabire, Joyce Jean-Maurice Billebaud. Photo: Whole Word Institute

Challenges

It’s a ground-breaking programme that is continuing to be fine-tuned.

‘We just jumped in’, Adam says. ‘There’s a phrase, you’re “building the plane as you fly it”. I’ve been amazed at what God’s been able to do, but I see so many places we need to improve, develop more teachers, develop our curriculum too.’

Another challenge is finding students who have the right skills and academic ability, translation background, support of a sending organisation and the freedom from serving in translation programmes to take time out to study intensively.

‘As you list all the requirements, the pool gets smaller and smaller,’ Adam says.

Some similar curriculum has been developed by other organisations, such as DOOR, but none are a full-fledged programme yet.

“Deaf people say this programme is so unique, so special, we need to make sure it continues,’ Adam says.

Where to from here?

‘When Nikole and I first felt like we needed to do this, so many people told us, “It can’t be done,”’ Adam says. ‘And it’s probably true, but it’s remarkable the way God opened the door and always set things up to make it happen. So, I’m curious to see what he does next.’

Hebrew and cultural learning in Israel has opened a better understanding not only of the Old Testament, but of many things in the New Testament as well, since the church was birthed from Jewish culture. One of Adam’s dreams is to someday create a biblical Greek training programme for Deaf translators.

Being part of the Alliance has provided a huge boost for Whole Word Institute’s Deaf programme.

‘This programme, we couldn’t do it all by ourselves’, Adam says. ‘There has been so much collaboration to make this possible. Ultimately, we’re all part of the body of Christ. We’re in different organisations, but I really appreciate when our mindset isn’t just about our organisations, it’s about how can we serve together to bring God’s Word to his people.’

Interview and story: Gwen Davies, Wycliffe Global Alliance

Alliance organisations are welcome to download and use photos from these articles.

See also these videos from Whole Word Institute:

‘Centre for Deaf Scriptures’

Video Bible translation and why it’s important for Deaf translators to study in the land of the Bible (narrated in English)

‘Robin: Bible translation consultant-in-training’

One translator’s testimony about studying at Whole Word Institute (Signed, with Hebrew voicing and English subtitles)

‘The Puzzle Piece of Sign Language Translation’

Oleksandr Raikovskyi on the importance of sign language translation and how Deaf people are impacted by sign language Scriptures (Signed, with English subtitles)